new direction: Philippians!

I just couldn't get past Joshua 10. I've moved into Philippians and before I start studying the text, I read up a little on the birth of the church at Philippi. If you don't know the story, here it is:

Acts 16:11-40

There are a few things I noticed in this text. First off, Paul & Silas had one plan but when things got in the way (namely imprisonment), rather than sit there and whine about their circumstances, they still served God right where they were.

Secondly, a LOT of people would think God had set them free if there was an earthquake that loosed their chains. I would've been the first one out of there! Paul & Silas, however, obeyed the authority which said they were to be imprisoned. Because of their obedience, the jailer not only lived but found relationship with God!

I look forward to my study of Philippians. I do confess to using a Bible study guide. Elizabeth George has written some fantastic, practical books as part of her "Woman After God's Own Heart" series. I find them to be very good at keeping me on task while still giving me room to come to my own conclusions.

nothing left to give

A few weeks ago I was sitting and thinking about how I've got nothing left to give. I am so exhausted by this world's demands on me that I feel I should be ministered to, not have more demands placed upon me. Yet...well, the root of Christianity is giving. Not giving for one's glory, but giving because it brings us closer to Christ - the ultimate sacrifice.

So I was thinking: God, I've got NOTHING to give! I'm tired! I'm all tapped out!

And in His ever patient way, He brought to mind two women who had nothing left and yet they gave.

The first is the widow who gave her last oil and flour to make a cake for Elijah, found in 1 Kings 17. She had NOTHING and yet she gave her last, and God not only blessed her with more oil & flour, but saved her son from death.

The second, of course, is the famed widow with two mites who is mentioned in Mark
and Luke. Again, this woman gave of all she had. The Bible doesn't tell us if she was blessed for it (I imagine she was). It just tells us she gave all she had.

The point here is that there is never going to be a time when it seems "RIGHT" to give. The time is now. I should give when it seems there is nothing TO give.

We will see.

Joshua 9

I kinda like this chapter. Here you've got people who obviously know the Israelites have God's power behind them, and that power is historically smiting people (I love the word "smite", btw). Instead of going and being honest and saying, "Hey, have mercy on us! Pray to your god to have mercy on us!", they decide to dress up as poor weary travelers.

There's an important little note here. The men of Israel, including Joshua, are wary of the men. They ask a bunch of questions, sample their food and drink, etc. But the text says "They did not inquire of the Lord." So you know...they didn't do the most important thing.

In the end, the guys who lie kinda get away with it, but not, because their lives are spared but they have to be woodcutters and water carriers forever. Israel chooses, for once, to obey God and keep a promise. Kinda funny really.

I wish I could say I drew some profound thing from this passage but I didn't. Except that Israel should've talked to them about God. :)

Intermission: The Joy of the Lord

Just a quick intermission to say Nehemiah says "the joy of the Lord is your strength."

Lately I am feeling extremely exhausted. Beyond physical, this is a spiritual, emotional, mental exhaustion.

I am depressed as well. Worn out, tired, sad, just want to curl up in bed and cry for days.

How closely entwined are joy and strength?

And how do we GET the joy of the Lord?

I find myself praising Him even though I am soooo tired. And I feel some strength. We shall see.

Joshua 8

Here's a little bit of a new approach. I'm going to C&P the scripture and kinda comment. Even though I use the NIV/NKJV for study (oooh, and even sometimes The Message! I'm going to hell...), I'm going to use the KJV here. Bible in italics. Mine in regular plain old text.

Chapter 8

1And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land: 2And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.

So once again, Joshua, don't be dismayed! Don't be afraid! Sheesh, what was WRONG with Joshua that people were always telling him not to fear?

3So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night. 4And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready: 5And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them, 6(For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them. 7Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand. 8And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you. 9Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people. 10And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. 11And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai. 12And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. 13And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley. 14And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city. 15And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. 16And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city. 17And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel. 18And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city. 19And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire. 20And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers. 21And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai. 22And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.
23And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua. 24And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword. 25And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai. 26For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. 27Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua. 28And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day. 29And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.

So, y'know, big military stuff here. As a chick, my eyes sorta glaze over at descriptions like these. The best part of this chapter for me? Reading it out loud so I can say "Ai." Ayyyyeeeeee.

30Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal, 31As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings. 32And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel. 33And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. 34And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. 35There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.

and then Joshua and all the people show their respect and praise to God. And basically read the entire pentateuch. That's an example, no?

Joshua 7

Man, this chapter's one of those you read and think, "Isn't that a little harsh?"

Stupid Israelite disobeys and gets a little booty (stuff, people!) from Jericho.

Entire nation knows something's up...but he hides anyway.

Finally he gets caught.

Then they take him and his entire family (and his stuff)

and they kill them all (and bury his stuff).

HARSH!

On the upside, I spotted Zimri. Hiya, Zimri!

Joshua 6

I have a few thoughts rambling around in my head after reading this chapter. Here they are in no particular order:

Everytime I read about Jericho, I can't help now but think of the fine VeggieTales production "Josh and the Big Wall." I did a little searching for a link to the video of the French Peas (who, oddly, are inhabitants of Jericho) but instead found an amusing little game. :)

So, y'know, the people of Jericho are pretty darn scared at this point. They've shut themselves in...we know from Rahab that they were freaking out. God's been doing some mighty things for Israel and here's poor little Jericho right in their way. I have to wonder what THEY were thinking during the "healing time" from the circumcision. They were probably wondering where in the heck Israel WAS!

...and then along comes Israel. Big production. Priests and trumpets and ark in front, followed by all the men. And yet...they come. They do nothing except walk around the city. A lot. They don't even make noise.

and my last point has to do with Rahab. She was a harlot. I wonder if she was married and I'm guessing NOT. But we know she later married someone named Salman and had Boaz. The book of Ruth says Boaz was of the tribe of Judah, so Rahab's husband must've been. I find this beautiful, that this woman is in the lineage of Christ, that despite her path and her past, she came to saving faith.

Joshua 5

OK, so we start with the lovely tale of the "hill of foreskins" (which is, apparently, what this place Gibeath Haaraloth translates to). I was thankful for the explanation given because I couldn't figure out why Joshua would have to circumsize Israel AGAIN. Now I get it. All the circumsized guys had died, so these were a bunch of young upstarts...except not so young that they'd EVER forget circumcision. Ouch. I'm not even a guy and...ouch! I love that the text mentions they didn't go on til they were fully healed. Heh.

But just as Israel was now marked physically for God, another mark was removed. The giving of manna (and quail, I assume?) finally ceased and Israel was able to partake of the land given them. I wonder how glorious that produce tasted!

No more getting up in the morning and saying "What is it?" (manna?). Hmmm, I wonder if any of them were disappointed.

Joshua 4

OK, so I read this chapter which is a continuation of what we started in chapter 3, the mini-red sea moment. I'm not sure if anyone noticed this besides me or not. I'll quote KJV so's I don't offend you purists. Plus, my agnostic friend apparently has been skimming the KJV Bible so we'll keep with it (an aside for FunSize: aprons!?!).

14On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

I read that and laughed. Because did they fear Moses or respect Moses all the days of his life? I mean, look back at Exodus! Look at how many times they grumbled and complained and disobeyed and made golden calves and such!

I'm not mocking God's Word here. Trying to figure out what it means.

Did they always respect MOSES but now always God? Are they always going to respect Joshua but not God?

Joshua 3

So here's the mini-Red Sea moment. Joshua is mini-Moses. He gets a mini-parting of waters. :) I don't have anything profound to say here. I'm trying to meditate on the miracles of God though I am struggling with the aggravations of the flesh. Grrr.

Joshua 2

A fairly straightforward and well-known tale, this is the story of Rahab the prostitute. I know we'll read about her again, but here's what I was thinking during this particular passage:

Strange men come into the city. Where does everyone think to look? Rahab. Because she's a harlot.

Israel's spies come into the city. What is everyone's response? Fear. Because they know about the miracles done for Israel.

So this gets me to thinking about reputation. What response does MY reputation provoke in people? Is it good, is it bad, is it annoying? ;)

The great news is that Rahab, though a harlot, is listed in the geneaology of Jesus and is the mother of Boaz, the kinsman-redeemer of Ruth. So even though Rahab had a prior reputation of being a loose woman (and for good reason, apparently), she lives in Biblical history as a heroine and as an ancestor of Christ.

Beautiful.

Joshua 1

So I read through Joshua 1 last night and the thing that struck me was how God told Joshua THREE TIMES to be strong and courageous. And then if that weren't enough, part of Israel (the Reubenites, Gadites and part of Manasseh) ALSO told Joshua the same thing.

Why? Did he look afraid? was he known for fear? Here they have the God of Israel, who has done miracles for them, telling them He's doing a mighty work. Why would Joshua be afraid?

As someone suffering from severe anxiety at times, I'm intrigued.

I also note that God promises not to leave him or forsake him. I always thought Jesus said this somewhere in the New Testament but a search turns up a passage in Hebrews that references Deuteronomy. Where Joshua is told by Moses what? Yep. Be strong. Be courageous. Twice.

What is the practical advice given to Joshua here? the "how-to"? Meditate on God's Word (at this point the Law) day and night. Which brings to mind Psalm 1.

Day One: So what book?

I'm a firm believer that to study the Bible, you really need to study in context. The best way to do this is to begin at the beginning of a specific book and work your way all the way through. That doesn't mean you can't hop over to other books for clarification. It just means you're generally following ONE path all the way to the end, and then you can take another. Keeping context is SO important, since each book has a separate purpose and author (though the one Author did ultimately inspire each).

So what book should I study? I can tell you I've read through Genesis and Matthew dozens of times, sometimes making it on into the other books of law or gospels. I've been through Paul's books in church. So I'm thinking histories or prophets. Which?

Given that the histories are vital to understanding the prophets, I'm going to delve into them, starting in Joshua. So let's begin. Tonight I will read Joshua Chapter 1 and post my thoughts on it tomorrow.